Ship's wreckage moved by storms, seen leaking oil

ANCHORAGE — The stern of the wrecked Selendang Ayu has shifted in recent storms off Unalaska Island, releasing about 1,000 gallons of residual oil in the soybean tanker that broke apart last December, officials said Tuesday.

A Coast Guard crew flew over the wreckage Monday and saw that the stern had been dislodged and rotated 90 degrees, putting it closer and nearly parallel to shore at Spray Cape on the western side of the island, the Coast Guard said.

A private pilot flying over the site on Friday reported that the stern had moved.

Emulsified oil was seen over a three-mile area around the wreck, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The oil probably had been clinging in pumped tanks and other areas not reachable when the bulk of the oil was removed in January, DEC officials said.

Pollution-survey crews will try to assess the impact of the shifting, the Coast Guard said. No oil has been seen coming from the sunken bow section.

The Selendang Ayu spilled nearly 340,000 gallons of fuel oil and diesel and tons of soybeans last December after it lost power and broke in two.

Salvage crews managed to lighten another 142,000 gallons of fuel from the freighter's tanks. Assessment teams will return next spring to determine what still needs to be done.

The Malaysian-flagged tanker was heading to China with 66,000 tons of soybeans when it developed engine problems.

The captain ordered the crew to attempt repairs, but the engine could not be restarted.

A Coast Guard helicopter carrying Selendang crew members from the tanker crashed, and six of the 10 freighter crew aboard died. The Coast Guard personnel survived.